Distributing mechanism for type-cases.



H. C. GAMMETER. DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM FOR-TYPE CASES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 1907.

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Patented Apr. 28

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H. G. GAMMBTBR.

DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM FOR TYPE GASES. APPLICATION FILED MAR.5,1907.

1,09%,891 Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,wAsmNG'roN. n. c

@NTTEE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY O. GAMMETER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN MULTI-GRAPH COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM FOR TYPE-CASES.

Application filed March 5, 1907.

To all (0710721 it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY C. GAMMETER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Distributing Mechanismfor Type-Cases, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide simple and efficientmechanism for distributing type into the respective holders orrepositories of a suitable case.

The invention is well adapted for embodi ment in a small, manuallyoperated machine adapted to distribute and carry type grooved on theiredges, such type, for example, as are used on the duplicating machinecommercially known as the ltiultigraph, and are shown in my Patent No.836,026.

lVhile the invention is adapted for the embodiment referred to, it isnot specifically limited thereto. It comprehends the com bination of atype case having a series of upwardly extending typeholders, withmechanism adapted to be shifted over the upper ends of the holders andrelease the type allowing it to drop into the holder desired, thedistribution being controlled by the position of the shiftable mechanismand not depending on specific nicking of the type.

The invention provides convenient operating means and suitableindicating mechanism.

The invent-ion may be conveniently summarized as consisting of thecombination of elements or their equivalents set out in the claims forcarrying out the above features and other features hereinafter morefully explained.

My distributing mechanism may be very conveniently combined with a typecase having banks, one behind the other and arranged to discharge thetype singly at their lower ends. The distributing mechanism is shownherein in such combination. The type case, itself, however, is made thesubject of my divisional application #554356 filed April 9th, 1910,resulting in Patent No. 1,052,333, Feb. 4,1913.

The drawings illustrate my invention embodied in a manually operateddevice com bined with a type case, which is the subject- Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914. Serial No. 360,777.

of my divisional application referred to and is adapted for use withtype the individuals of which are all similarly grooved for purposes ofretention.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the device complete; Fig. 2 is avertical section on a plane extending from front to back; Fig. 3 is aplan; Fig & is a detail in section on the line 44 of Fig. 3 looking tothe rear. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the main shaft and its arm whichoperates the releasing mechanism; Fig. 6 is a detail showing the rockshaft of the releasing mechanism; Fig. 7 1s a perspective viewillustrating the typecarrying device and showing the bottom type in oneof the repositories in position to be engaged by such tube.

It will be convenient to describe first the type case itself; though, asalready stated, the same is not claimed herein, but in my divisionalapplication.

As shown in the drawings, 10 represents a suitable standard whichcarries the type case proper. The latter has a vertical front plate 11,end plates 12 and 13, and back plate 14, and numerous verticalpartitions 15 extending fro-m the front plate to the back plate andhaving on their sides vertical ribs 16. The ribs of one partition areopposite the ribs of the next, as shown in Fig. 3. The type, indicatedby 20, have grooves 21 on their opposite sides, which grooves areadapted to slide over the cooperating ribs of adjacent partitions. Eachtwo ribs, therefore, provide a type repository.

As shown, there are four banks of repositories, one in front of theother, between the front plate and back plate. To illustrate theiraction in receiving and holding type, four of the type are shown at 20in Fig. 3. It willbe understood that if the type are brought intoposition over the ribs and are then released, they will fall by gravityinto the repositories thus provided. Fig. 2 shows three of therepositories containing type and one empty. The bottom type of the pilein each repository rests on a block 23 at the base of the repositorycarried by a cross bar 2-1. Each of the four banks of repositoriesterminates some distance above the bank at the rear thereof, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, the bottom edge of each plate 24 being higher than thelower edge of the repository next at the rear thereof. The bottom typein every repository is therefore accessible hour the front of the case.The ribs l i terminate a short distance above the blocks this distancebeing son ewhatgreater than the thickness of one type and less than thethickness of two types, while the partition walls ext-end slightly belowthe upper edges of the bottom type. The bottom type is theretore treefrom the .ribs and may be moved forward on the block 23. but cannottall. oil sidewise. The blocks 23 have a widtl about equal to that oil:the shank of the type between the two grooves 21.

in Fig. 'l' is she vn a tube 30 having a longitudinal slit 31 of widthslightly greater than the shank of the type. The tube is preterablycurved atone end and the rear portion thereof is cut otf diagonally atthis curved portion so that two prongs 32 are provided. These prongs maybe passed upwardly on opposite sides of the block 23 into grooves 21 ot'the type. Then a slight :l'orward movement ot the tube eraws the iforward oil of. the block 23, all wing 1 drop by 'avity into the graspof the t ibe 30. The type gradually pass around t of this tube as oneafter the other Lied out of the anions case and a of the tube into anupwardly inv a spring clip 34: sprung around the tube nea its other endas shown ii Pig. T. This t1 'ed split tube is claimed in my divisicnaipplication ilo. 585,213, tiled ()ctober st. U10. resulting in PatentNo. l O ltl fli l Dec. 31. 1912. The blocks are preferably tapered attheir lower edges to allow the easy placing of the tube fork about them.

i hi the taco ot the plates 24- directly below the blocks 2 re suitablecharacte s, as shown in Fig. l. to indicate the characters contained inthe ease.

ll ith this mechanism, an operator may assemble type on the tubularholder with great rapidity. lle simply moves the tube around i hand andlitts its prongs up\ 'ard,

3 strasldlinir ne blocks and passing into the grooves il' 1e. when aslight. tor'vard mo: is the type to paus down the ibe. on as any type isreleased the type remaining in tie repository above descends. so thatthe bottom type rests on the bloci: ready for the next removal. jitterthe line is assembled along the tube it may trans't'errml by hand tosuitable M any pr'nting' mechanism, the clip 3%. being re- 1 moved toallow it to pass out of the straight end of the tube.

jitter printing, the line oi? type may be rctu "lied to a suitableholder which may be ili' ube similar to the tube 30. This i ahiftedaround over the respective icsito ies and the bottom jpe e eaccd by t mr mechanism which constitute the SlllJjQCl matter of the presentapplication and will now be described.

lionited over the top of the type case proper is a carriage ll-O whichhas downturned flanges with inwardly projecting ribs 42 and 4:3,occupying grooves 4t and i in the trout and rear plate respectively otthe type case, this carriage being thus slidable lengthwise at the typecase. Mounted in the :airage it) so as to slide from trout to rear is aplate 416 which carries a block 4-? adapted to receive and hold the tubed8 which constitutes the type carrier the lower end, of this tubeoccupying a recess in the block.

It will be apparent that by shifting the plate it; forward or back andby shitting the carriage laterally the tube 48 may be brought directlyove' any of "he repositories. To so shift the plate and aiii'iag'o lprovide the shat't 50 which extends paralel with the plate ii") beingjournaled in the trout plate 411 oi? the carriage and in an ear 52 nearthe rear anl in an intermediate portion of the carriage between such ear1 nd plate. This shaft is not only adapted to be turned on its axis butmay be shifted longitudinally through its bearings. Plea],- its rear endon its uppe" and lower sides are notches which are occupied by springssecured to the plate. to. this means whenever the shat't is shittedlongitudinally the plate i'uoved correspondingly. A suitable plunger ispressed upward by a spring 58 and is adapted to occupy one of severaldepressions in the plate 4 6, thereby pre venting displacement to thesame and insuring proper alinement from itront to back.

To properly position the carriage laterally over the re1i ositoiies. Iprovide the pawl splined to the shaft and having a nose adapted to enterbetween projections (31. "formed along the upper edge of the front platell, these projections being substantially in line with the front ends ofthe partitions 15. The shaft 50 is provided with an operating knob (35.This knob allows the shaft to be shifted longitudinally as desired andprovides means for shifting the ca 'riag'c late'ally. its the carriageis brought to position a slie'ht rotation of the shaft causes the pawlnose to enter between the projections 1 thereby accurately positioningthe carriag It will be seen from the above description that by properlymoving the knob and the mechanism connected therewitlr alinement of thetype with any repository in the ase is obtained.

The same rocking ot the shall; 50 which. ace irately yositions thecarriage operates also at the end of such movement to actuate mechanismto release the type allo vingr them to drop by gravity into the selectedrepository. The type are normally held by the prong of a double spring71 secured to the block 47. Above this prong 70 is another prong 72 ofthis spring, the distance between the two being about equal thethickness of the type. The prong 72 normally stands with its front endjust at the rear of the line of travel at the rear end of the type asshown in Fig. 2. The prongs 70 and 72 are retained in this position bythe short rock shaft 74 which is mounted in the block 47, the spring 70normally occupying the notch 75 in such shaft and the spring 72 normallyresting against the shaft just below the notch 76. This rock shaft bendsforward as at 77 alongside of the block 47 and near its forward end itextends into a fork on an arm 78 carried by the shaft 50. As the shaft50 rocks, the first portion of the movement locks the carriage in placeand accurately positions it as heretofore described. Just as this takesplace the arm 78 has acted on the arm 77 sufliciently to rock the shaft74 to force the spring 70 out of the notch 75, the spring being engagedby the peripheral surface of the rock shaft above the notch. At the sametime the spring 72 enters the notch 76 and springs forward. The resultis that the lowest type is released and the type next above it isengaged. The type released by the prong 7 O, as above described,descends by gravity between the gibs 80 which are secured to the blocka7 in position to have their edges a continuation of the edges of thetube 48. From these gibs the type drops into the repository provided bythe alined ribs 16. After the type is released the operators pressure onthe knob 65 allows the springs 56 to return the shaft 50 to normalposition, returning the springs 70 and 72 to their normal position, thepile of type in the tube 48 thus descending a distance equal to thethickness of one type to cause the bottom type to rest on the spring 70.

It will be seen from the above description that to distribute typecontained in the tube 48 it is only necessary to move the knob in orout, shift the carriage laterally and slightly rotate the knob. Asuitable pin 81 carried by the shaft 50 may limit extreme movements;however, the plunger 57 restrains the shaft in whatever position,forward or back, it is placed.

The face of the type in the tube as are visible from the front of themachine as shown in Fig. 1. To indicate when the tube is over the properrepository, which is the one corresponding to the lowermost type, Iprovide a suitable chart 85 on the front side of the plate 11 below thecarriage. This chart is formed in lines corresponding to the difierentbanks of repositories, there being four lines in the illustration torepresent the four banks of repositories. A suitable pointer 86 iscarried by the carriage and shifted laterally with it so that itindicates at once those four repositories which are in the front to backplane through the type. The top line of the chart corresponds to thefront bank of the repositories, the next line to the next rearmost bank,and so on.

To enable the pointer to indicate for which of the banks of repositoriesthe tube 48 is set, I mount the pointer slidably in the carriage. Iprovide gear teeth 87 on the front side of the pointer and these meshwith a pinion 88 which is on a short shaft 89 parallel with the frontplate of the carriage; and on the other end of this shaft is a pinion90'which meshes with the teeth 91 formed along the shaft 50. The resultof this is that as the shaft 50 is shoved inward to carry the tubebackward from the front bank of repositories the pointer is therebymoved downward so that it is always opposite that horizontal line of thechart which corresponds to the bank of cases over which the type in thetube are located.

.Vith my indicator, as the knob is forced inward to position the tubefrom front to back the pointer moves laterally, so that when thecarriage is brought to rest with the pointer at a charactercorresponding to the bottom character in the tube, the position iscorrect for rocking the shaft to release the type. In actual operationthe rearward movement and the lateral movement are performedsimultaneously so that the pointer travels diagonally downward, and justas it comes to rest at the proper character the rocking of the shaftreleases the bottom type, which corresponds to that character. Theoperation may thus be very rapid as well as accurate.

I claim:

1. The combination of a series of repositories arranged in parallelbanks with open upper ends, a carriage mounted to travel over said ends,a slide mounted to travel on the carriage, and a type holder mounted onsaid slide and formed of a removable tube open in front and adapted tohold a column of type facing forwardly.

2. The combination of a series of repositories arranged in parallelbanks with open upper ends, a carriage mounted to travel over such ends,a slide mounted to move on the carriage, a holder for a column ofgrooved type carried by the slide and consisting of a slotted tube, theedges of which adjacent to the slot engage the grooves of the type, andan escapement adapted to coact with the feet of the type as theydescend.

3. The combination, with a type case having type holders extending sideby side and also from front to back, of a distributing mechanism havinga movable member mounted on another movable memwith her, whereby theformer member partakes of a movement from side to side and front toback, each movement being independent of the position given by theother, a holder for a column of type carried by the first mentionedmovable member and comprising a pair of parallel or ges engaging groovesin the opposite sides of the type, and an escape ment adapted to engagethe feet of such type and operating to release them singly.

4-. The combination of a series of type repositories, a member shiftablewith reference thereto and adapted to carry type, a shiftahle rod foroperating said member, and mechanism for releasing the type operated byturning said rod on its axis.

The combination of several series of type holders arranged in banks, acarriage adapted to travel over said holders, a slide mounted to travelacross the carriage, a shiftable rod for operating the slide, andmechanism for releasing the type operated by rocking said rod.

(3. The combination of seveal series of type holders arranged in banksone in front of the other, a carriage adapted to travel over the upperends of said holders, a slide mounted to travel across the carriage,shiftable rod for operating the slide, mechanism for releasing the typeoperated by rocking said rod, and mechanism for insuring proper positionof the carriage, also operated by rocking said rod.

7, The combination of a type case provided with partitions, having ribson their opposite sides, a carriage adapted to travel over said case, aslide adapted to travel across the :arriage, means mounted on the slidefor carrying the type grooved on their opposite sides, means forpositioning the slide and the carriage to bring the type over therepository provided by adjacent ribs on the partitions, and means forreleasing such positioned type.

8. The combination of a casing having type repositories with open upperends, a carriage slidably mounted on the casing and extending acrosssuch upper ends, means carried by the carriage for holding type to bedistributed, mechanism for positioning the same over the desired typerepository, a series of beveled shoulders carried by the casing, and acooperating member carried by the carriage to accurately position thecarriage.

9. The combination of means for holding type, retaining means having twospring fingers, a rock shaft having eccentric surfaces against whichsuch lingers bear, and means for rocking said shaft to present saidfingers alternately to the type.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aliix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

HARRY C. GAE-IIMETER. lVitnesses ALBERT H. BATES, G. A. MYERS.

Uopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

